Plush fabric toys have a broad market and great development prospects both domestically and internationally, especially long plush stuffed toys and Christmas gift toys. Plush toys have the characteristics of realistic and cute shapes, soft touch, no fear of compression, easy cleaning, strong decoration, high safety, and wide applicability to a wide range of people. Therefore, plush toys are a good choice for children's toys, decorating houses, and giving as gifts.
1、 Market research on plush toys
1. Consumer group of plush products
Plush toys are toys made mainly of plush fabric, PP cotton, and other textile materials, filled with various fillers inside. They can also be called soft toys or stuffed toys, and are called "plush dolls" in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao regions of China. Plush toys have the characteristics of realistic and cute shapes, soft touch, no fear of compression, easy cleaning, strong decoration, high safety, and wide applicability to a wide range of people. Therefore, plush toys are a good choice for children's toys, decorating houses, and giving as gifts.
Chinese toy products include plush toys, plastic toys, electronic toys, wooden toys, metal toys, leather toys, children's cars, and other miscellaneous toys, among which plush toys and children's cars are the best-selling. According to a survey, 34% of consumers will choose electronic toys, 31% will choose smart toys, and 23% prefer high-end plush and fabric decorative toys.
Moreover, plush products are no longer just toys in the hands of children. Their main consumer group has clearly shifted from children or teenagers to adults. After purchasing, some are used as gifts, while others are simply brought home for fun. The cute design and smooth hand feel can bring spiritual comfort to adults.
2. Increase in sales revenue of plush toys
The latest data shows that in the first nine months of 2022, toy sales revenue in 12 countries worldwide reached $36.7 billion, a year-on-year increase of only 2%. However, compared to the $28.3 billion sales revenue generated from January to September 2019, the sales growth was as high as 30%. Focusing on sub categories, plush toys continue to dominate the growth of toy categories, with a year-on-year sales revenue increase of 32%, followed by movable figures and accessories, with a growth rate of 12%. Other sub categories with significant increases include exploration toys and other toys, with a 10% increase in sales revenue, and construction sets, with a 5% increase in sales revenue.
3. Origin of plush toys
At present, the production areas of plush toys in China are mainly concentrated in Jiangsu, Guangdong, Shandong, Hebei and other places. In 2016, there were 6900 plush toy manufacturing enterprises in China, with 264100 industry employees and a total asset size of 31.516 billion yuan; In 2018, the number of plush toy enterprises reached 7000, with approximately 300000 industry employees and assets worth nearly 36 billion yuan; In 2021, the number of plush toy enterprises reached 7100, with an asset size of nearly 36.6 billion yuan.
According to the "2022-2027 Plush Toy Market Investment Outlook Analysis and Supply and Demand Pattern Research Forecast Report" by the China Academy of Industry Research
The main export destinations for plush toys in our country include the United States, Europe, etc., with an export proportion of 43% to the United States and 35% to Europe. Plush toys are a choice for European and American parents to choose toys for their children. The average cost per person spent on toys in Europe exceeds $140, while in the United States it exceeds $300. There is not yet a nationwide brand for plush toys in China, while foreign brands have already entered the mainland market through sales agents or setting up offices. Its high price has deterred many consumers.
2、 Development Trends of Plush Toy Industry
With technological innovation constantly breaking through the boundaries of toys, especially with the arrival of the intelligent era, the rise of electronic games has brought an impact on the traditional toy industry, and intelligent plush toys have emerged as the direction of new product research and development.
When high quality has become a basic requirement, people's requirements for toys have become good quality and exquisite appearance. At this time, as more and more factories began to focus on the domestic market, many high-quality, innovative and cute products emerged on the market. Some powerful factories have developed exceptionally good products, but they have subsequently been imitated by many factories. At this time, some excellent factories and enterprises have begun to attach importance to brands and copyrights, and the industry has entered the era of brand originality.
3、 Prospects of the plush toy industry
Plush toys have always been a labor-intensive industry, and the competitiveness of enterprises lies in having sufficient cheap labor. In the situation of continuous increase in labor costs, some enterprises choose to move out of the mainland to Southeast Asia, seeking a cheaper and more abundant labor market; Another approach is to change the business model and production methods, allowing robots to work and replacing pure manual labor with automated production. In addition to large enterprises, small plush toy companies are also accelerating machine replacement and undergoing transformation and upgrading.
Plush toys have a wide range of uses, and in addition to being purchased by parents and children, many well-known enterprises now have a great demand for customized plush toys. For example, some companies may make their corporate image look like plush toys, which can add a touch of affinity to the company and is also very beneficial for enhancing the corporate image; Some large retailers and fast food restaurants also use plush toys as promotional gifts to attract popularity.
Overall, the prospects for plush toys are still very promising. Disney's plush toys are very popular, and Star Delu's popularity has led many animation companies to release their own plush toys.